


Someday

by Owl_girl04



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One-Shot, a conversation, very short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:49:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24917134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Owl_girl04/pseuds/Owl_girl04
Summary: Callum realizes how he feels with Zym’s help. (This is for your doctor-prescribed daily shot of fluff.)
Relationships: Callum & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Kudos: 17





	Someday

**Author's Note:**

> This is super short and super fluffy, and sometimes that’s all you need. Enjoy!

“I just don’t know what to think Zym.”

“ _ Churrup _ !”

“That’s not really helpful, little guy,” Callum sighed, leaning forward to prop his chin on a fist. He gazed despondently across the small clearing, watching as Zym gleefully jumped from puddle to puddle. It had rained yesterday, which had driven their trio to find temporary shelter. By the time they had all squeezed through a crack in a nearby cliff-face, Callum, Rayla, and Zym had been soaked to the bone and shivering. The crack had opened into a narrow cave that was just big enough for the three of them to sit together, squished side by side like a can of sardines in the darkness.

They hadn’t spoken for a while, just listening to the echoes of raindrops as it hit the towering Xadian trees outside their cave. Callum was only just beginning to lose feeling in his left foot (he didn’t want to disturb Zym, who was asleep in his lap, by moving), when Rayla spoke.

“How do you think Ezran is doing?”

Callum blinked, caught unaware by the question. Rayla was constantly surprising him with her empathy, proving in a variety of ways that she did care for him and his brother. A small knot of guilt formed in his stomach. All he had been thinking about was the fact that he was pressed up against Rayla in the dark. In fact, he couldn’t seem to stop thinking about the warmth of her arm against his shoulder, or the way her hair tickled his neck whenever she would lean over to pet Zym.

“He’s probably home by now,” Callum said, “And hopefully the king’s advisors are taking good care of him. I mean, most of them seemed pretty helpful when we were back home.”

Rayla mumbled something to herself, the words too indistinct for Callum to make out. Realizing the conversation was over, he closed his eyes.

“I’m kind of glad Ezran isn’t here,” Rayla said suddenly, interrupting his thoughts again.

“Why is that?” Callum’s brow wrinkled in his confusion.

“Well, we wouldn’t fit in here for one thing,” Rayla said, laughing softly. Callum couldn’t help his grin. Her laugh was so bubbly and tentative as if she wasn’t sure if she was joking or not.

“We’d be all wet,” he agreed. “Or wetter, I suppose.” He ran a hand through his damp hair to enunciate the point.

“Yes… and I probably wouldn’t get to spend so much delightful quality time with you,” she continued. Her tone was colored with sarcasm, but he could tell she was only teasing.

“Uh, yeah. And I with you, I mean, I  _ also _ enjoy spending time with you, I mean-” Callum cleared his throat uncomfortably, his ears turning pink.  _ Why was he so flustered by her? _

“Okay Callum,” Rayla smiled at his ruffled composure, her Xadian accent drawing out the vowels in the words with a rolling drawl. Callum cleared his throat again, unable to think of a way to continue the conversation.

And that had been that. Callum still wasn’t sure what to make of the new butterflies that seemed content to flutter in his stomach every time Rayla smiled. Or the way he seemed to blush  _ every time _ he said something to her. It was as if his brain had suddenly stopped working around her!

Zym shrieked happily as he landed in an especially muddy puddle. His scales were crusted with muck from his game, which Callum knew would take forever to wipe away. As soon as Rayla got back from her excursion to gather food, they would continue on their journey. Callum assumed that her return would also mark the return of his perpetual embarrassment. If only he could master himself enough to have a simple conversation with her, he was sure he could figure himself out. The last time he had felt so overwhelmed in a girl’s presence had been with Claudia…

“Oh my gosh! Zym, I’ve figured it out!” Callum sprang upwards, a strange buzzing filling his head. He began to pace, scooping up Zym on his way past. “It’s no wonder she gives me a stomach ache, and I can’t form complete sentences whenever I talked to her! She’s so intelligent, kind, and heroic… how could I not have seen it!” He lifted Zym up so they were face to face, smiling the whole while. “I have a crush on Rayla!”

The weight of the realization suddenly hit him, and he dropped Zym when he began to squirm in protest.

“Oh no! Zym! I have a crush on Rayla,” Callum his voice reduced to a frantic whisper. The dragon merely tilted his head, as though he was confused by the sudden shift in emotion.

“ _ Chewoo? _ ”

“There’s no way I’ll ever be able to do anything about it! She probably wouldn’t ever feel the same way.”

“Who feels what way?” Rayla asked, emerging from the trees. She sheathed her blades as he watched, a graceful movement that indicated years of familiarity with the weapons.

“Nobody feels any way, I mean… nothing. Um- food huh?” Callum stammered, stiffening like a deer in headlights.

“Uh… yeah. I found a zazzberry bush over there,” Rayla said, gesturing loosely over her shoulder. She regarded Callum skeptically, then shook her head, a physical dismissal of his oddness.

“Cool, you’re perfect- Um! That’s perfect. Excuse me,” Callum felt nauseous. He really needed to stop talking.

“Are you alright Callum? Anything you want to tell me?” Rayla had a strange glimmer in her eye as she spoke, as if she was sharing a secret with him. Callum couldn’t make any sense of it. He figured she was secretly laughing at his obvious awkwardness.

“No, not really,” Callum said.  _ But maybe someday _ .  _ Definitely someday _ .

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! If you’d like to see more of my work check my Tumblr: @owl-girl04


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